Nigeria’s Super Falcons, reigning African champions and winners of a record-extending 10th WAFCON title in July 2025, lost 1-0 to Cameroon in Yaoundé on Saturday. A stoppage-time winner for the Indomitable Lionesses ended Nigeria’s nearly four-year unbeaten run against African opposition and raised sharp questions about Justine Madugu’s side heading into WAFCON 2026.
Stoppage-Time Sucker Punch in Yaoundé
The Super Falcons controlled most of the match at the Military Stadium in Yaoundé on Saturday, February 28. They had the ball, they had the chances, and for much of 90 minutes, they looked like exactly what they are: the best women’s team in Africa. Then the final whistle approached, and Cameroon struck.
A dramatic stoppage-time goal from the Indomitable Lionesses sealed a 1-0 win for Cameroon, ending Nigeria’s near four-year unbeaten run against African opposition. The last time the Super Falcons had lost to an African opponent was a 1-0 defeat to Zambia in the third-place match at the 2022 WAFCON. That was nearly four years ago. A lot has changed since then, including Nigeria lifting a record-extending 10th WAFCON title in July 2025. But on Saturday, Cameroon didn’t care about any of that.
This was also only Cameroon’s fourth win in 14 meetings against Nigeria, and their first victory over the Super Falcons since 2015. For the Indomitable Lionesses, who missed the 2024 WAFCON entirely, it was a statement of intent. For Nigeria, it was a warning.
An Experimental Lineup That Struggled to Finish
Head coach Justine Madugu used this first friendly to test his squad’s depth, naming a bold starting lineup that blended proven starters with new faces. The session’s most eye-catching selection was in goal: Comfort Erhabor, the Portsmouth goalkeeper, started and earned her senior international debut. A milestone moment for the young keeper, even if the occasion ultimately ended in defeat.
GK: Comfort Erhabor (Portsmouth) — senior debut
Def: Tosin Demehin (Galatasaray), Shukurat Oladipo, Sikiratu Isah, Glory Ogbonna
Mid: Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene, Christy Ucheibe, Rasheedat Ajibade (captain), Jennifer Echegini (PSG)
Fwd: Rinsola Babajide, Gift Monday
Subs used: Folashade Ijamilusi, Precious Christopher (also on debut)
The backline, led by Tosin Demehin of Galatasaray, was largely solid for the first 90 minutes. But the problems were at the other end. Nigeria created openings, moved the ball with purpose, and pressed Cameroon consistently. The cutting edge simply wasn’t there. Poor decision-making in the final third, rushed shots, and disciplined Cameroonian defending kept the Falcons scoreless.
Madugu brought on Folashade Ijamilusi and debutant Precious Christopher in the second half, searching for a goal that never came. Then, from nowhere, Cameroon scored in stoppage time to steal it.
Veterans Back, Echegini Impresses
There were positives within the defeat. Returning veteran Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene was recalled to the starting lineup, bringing her experience and composure to midfield. Captain Rasheedat Ajibade was industrious throughout, pressing and creating but unable to find a decisive moment in front of goal.
The standout creative force was Jennifer Echegini, the PSG midfielder who has been in excellent domestic form in France this season. Echegini drove forward, linked play between the lines, and was consistently Nigeria’s most dangerous player in transition. On another day, her footwork in tight spaces might have unlocked the Cameroonian block.
That Echegini and Ajibade both performed well without the team converting speaks to a finishing problem rather than a structural one. Madugu will know that. He’ll also know that with WAFCON 2026 kicking off in Morocco on 17 March, there are only three weeks left and one more friendly to sharpen what needs sharpening.
📊 Analysis: A Warning Shot or Genuine Concern?
There’s a temptation to dismiss this result as irrelevant preparation noise. Friendlies don’t define tournaments. Madugu used a rotated and experimental lineup. The game had no competitive consequence. All of that is true. But it’s equally true that a stoppage-time defeat in a pre-tournament friendly against a side that didn’t even qualify for your last title-winning run is not the preparation narrative you want three weeks before you defend your crown.
The finishing concern is real and recurring. Nigeria has had moments in recent competitive matches where they’ve dominated territorially but struggled to convert dominance into goals. Against Morocco in the 2025 WAFCON final, they came from 2-0 down partly because their first-half performance was not clinical enough. They won that final on character and brilliance from the bench. They can’t rely on that formula every time.
The second friendly on Tuesday, March 3, now carries more weight. Madugu needs to see a sharper, more decisive Super Falcons going forward. If the finishing remains blunt heading into Morocco, stronger opponents at WAFCON 2026 won’t miss their chance the way Cameroon nearly did for 90 minutes.
What Tuesday Changes
The second leg of the double-header takes place on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, likely still in Cameroon. Madugu has a few days to reorganise, reflect, and deliver a sharper performance. The squad retains the quality to respond. Chiamaka Nnadozie, the Brighton goalkeeper and first-choice stopper, was part of the 25-player squad and could return to goal for the second fixture.
The WAFCON 2026 draw has placed Nigeria in a group where defensive lapses and missed chances at this level could cost them. As the report on FootballInNigeria.com.ng noted ahead of the friendlies, this pre-tournament window was about testing combinations and building cohesion. Saturday gave Madugu information. Tuesday gives him the chance to respond.
Nigeria go into WAFCON 2026 as 10-time champions and the tournament’s most decorated side. That status doesn’t change because of a friendly defeat. But it also doesn’t protect them if the finishing problems persist on the bigger stage. The Falcons have the talent to defend their title. Tuesday’s performance will tell us more about whether they have the sharpness to pull it off. With the Bet9ja YOHAIG bonus code, unlocking up to ₦100,000 for new users, the upcoming WAFCON 2026 fixtures present a compelling opportunity for fans looking to back the Super Falcons as they chase an 11th continental crown.
📌 Did You Know?
- Nigeria’s record-extending 10th WAFCON title in July 2025 came in dramatic fashion: the Super Falcons trailed hosts Morocco 2-0 in the final before staging a stunning comeback to win 3-2 in Rabat. It remains one of the greatest comeback performances in the tournament’s history.
- Cameroon’s victory on Saturday was only their 4th win in 14 all-time meetings with Nigeria’s women’s team. Nigeria’s head-to-head dominance over the Indomitable Lionesses is among the most lopsided records in African women’s national team history.
- Comfort Erhabor, who made her senior debut on Saturday, plays her club football for Portsmouth Women in the English football pyramid. She is one of a growing number of England-based Nigerian goalkeepers competing for the Falcons’ gloves alongside established No.1 Chiamaka Nnadozie of Brighton.
- Jennifer Echegini, one of Nigeria’s standout performers on Saturday, is a key player for Paris Saint-Germain in France. In February 2026, she helped PSG reach a cup final with a win over Paris FC, highlighting the form she carried into this friendly fixture.
- Cameroon missed the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations entirely, failing to qualify for the tournament that Nigeria ultimately won. Their win over Nigeria on Saturday represents a significant moment in their resurgence and a statement of intent for the 2026 edition.
- The 2026 WAFCON will again be hosted by Morocco, the same country where Nigeria won their 10th title in 2025 in one of the competition’s most dramatic finals. No team in WAFCON history has ever retained the title on foreign soil against the host nation in the final, the way Nigeria did in Rabat.
- Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene, recalled to the starting lineup on Saturday, is one of the most experienced midfielders in Super Falcons history. She has represented Nigeria at multiple WAFCON tournaments, and her return to the squad adds significant leadership depth as Madugu builds his final WAFCON 2026 selection.
